Syria/Guernica: The Art of Youssef Abdelke

Artwork: "Waiting for Youssef" by Tareq Batihi. (Courtesy of "Art and Freedom" Page)

In the great tradition of Picasso's "Guernica," Abdelke's art carries visual memories of the Syrian Revolution. This is the message Ali Atassi want to convey through his post which was translated for Al Jadid.

If the Spanish Revolution were occurring now, and were Picasso still living among us, the first thing he would do upon finishing his masterpiece "Guernica” would be to have it photographed and downloaded into the social network pages to reach its real audience. That is exactly what Youssef Abdelke did with the artworks he exhibited on the "Art & Freedom" page, undoubtedly some of the most important and distinguished examples of the visual and artistic memory of the Syrian revolution.

But the important difference between Picasso and Abdelke is that while the Spanish artist remained an expatriate in France until the overthrow of the Franco dictatorship, Abdelke returned from France to Syria to stand by his people as they strive to overthrow the Assad dictatorship.